Your new tattoo is a form of expressive body art which is designed to last for a lifetime. The most important thing to increase the chances of your tattoo retaining its intended look for as long as possible is proper tattoo aftercare. The instructions below discuss both the initial and long term recommended aftercare products and procedures to maximize the look of your new tattoo for as long as possible.
With the seemingly endless supply of products and contradictory recommendations for tattoo aftercare available today, choosing the best solution for your tattoo aftercare can seem a daunting and even expensive task. Although considering the cost of tattoo nowadays even the most expensive of the tattoo aftercare products on the market are cheap insurance, we will provide some guidelines for making educated decisions on which types of aftercare products to use and which are little more than marketing hype and a waste of your money. Unlike many of the articles claiming to give tattoo aftercare advise, we are not trying to sell you a product and, as such, are not working from an agenda other than disseminating proper tattoo aftercare advise.
The Tattoo Healing Process; What to Expect
The healing process for your new tattoo will take about 45 days, although it will appear to be healed much sooner than this. As your tattoo heals, your body will slough off and replace the damaged skin cells with new ones and this complete process takes 45 days. You can expect some mild discomfort, similar to a sunburn, which will last anywhere from about 3 days to a week or 2 depending on factors such as your body and the location of your new tattoo. You can also expect, to varying degrees, a bit of: tenderness, bleeding, swelling, redness, color seepage, itching, peeling, and mild scabbing. With a proper regimen of tattoo aftercare, these symptoms can be greatly minimized or even eliminated in some circumstances. For more details about our recommended tattoo aftercare procedures and what to expect during the healing process, read on!
Initial Tattoo Aftercare; The First Few Weeks
The first thing you need to understand about your new tattoo is that it is actually considered to be a minor surgical procedure. Like any surgical procedure, the speed and degree of recovery is just as directly related to the quality of the aftercare as it is to the quality of the surgical procedure itself. The size and location of your new tattoo will have a direct bearing on the healing time, as will the depth of the needle your artist used during the tattoo. While these are not really in your control, the aftercare is up to you and can make a huge difference in how well, and how fast, your new tattoo heals.
When you get home (about 3 to 4 hours after getting your new tattoo) you should remove any bandage or other covering the artist placed over the fresh tattoo. At this time the area should be washed, very gently, with mild soap and warm water. Do not scrub hard or with anything other than the surface of your hand. After gently washing your fresh tattoo, you should use a soft towel to pat the area dry - again, no need to rub, just a gentle pat dry will do.
Once you have gently washed any dried blood and surface ink from your new tattoo the next thing you will want to do is to apply a thin layer of triple antibiotic ointment containing Bacitracin. If possible, it is best to keep the tattoo uncovered by clothing as much as you can to minimize the Bacitracin ointment from being wiped off. The Bacitracin antibiotic ointment serves several purposes. First, it is intended to reduce any bacteria which may be on your new tattoo and to prevent infection while the wound is fresh. Second, and arguably even more important, the ointment is meant to act as a moisturizing agent to keep the damaged skin soft, moist, and supple. It is a proven medical fact that wounds to the skin heal much faster in a moist environment and the Bacitracin ointment not only helps to moisturize the skin, but acts as a barrier to keep the skins natural moisture in and will greatly reduce healing time.
Additional Bacitracin ointment should be applied 3 to 4 times per day and immediately before going to bed. Further bandaging is neither necessary nor recommended.
For the first 4 days your tattoo aftercare regimen should remain basically the same. You will want to apply a thin layer of Bacitracin antibiotic ointment to the area upon waking up, before going to bed, and about 3 or 4 times in between to help protect and moisturize the skin area of your new tattoo. An ideal application of Bacitracin ointment will be just enough to make the skin moist and shiny and should extend about half an inch (13mm) beyond the outer perimeter of your tattoo. You will also want to keep the skin clean by washing once or twice a day - no more. Again, as much as possible, it is best to keep the area exposed and uncovered by either bandages or clothing if at all possible.
An inevitable part of the healing process with your new tattoo involves some itching, peeling, and possibly some light scabbing. It is extremely important to resist the urge to scratch your tattoo or pick at any peeling skin or scabs which develop. If the itch gets to be too much to bear, a good alternative to scratching which works very well is simply to lightly slap the area. The slapping will almost always relieve the itching sensation and is much less risky than scratching which can damage the tender healing skin. As you new tattoo begins to slough off dead skin (peal) the best thing to do is to remove this loose dead skin by gently washing the area with soap and water in the shower. Again, scratching and picking is a bad idea and should be avoided. If scabs develop, it is best to simply let them heal and fall off naturally. Picking at scabs, even very small ones, can remove the ink from the skin and lead to scarring.
Cleanliness is an important part of your tattoo aftercare, but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about washing it. During the first 4 to 5 days you should wash your tattoo gently with warm water and whatever soap you normally use. After washing, pat the area dry with a clean dry cloth. It is important during these first few days to avoid soaking your tattoo in water and baths should be avoided. A shower is fine, but immersion in water should be avoided completely for the first 4 to 5 days. In addition to not immersing your new tattoo in the bath, swimming and hot tubs should also be avoided. In fact, although bathing will be OK after the first 4 or 5 days, swimming and hot tubs should be avoided for at least the first 45 days.
Beginning on day 5 or 6 bathing in warm water will be fine. This is also the time that the daily tattoo aftercare procedure changes a little bit. Instead of using the Bacatracin ointment as the primary aftercare product, you should now move to a high quality unscented deep moisturizing hand lotion. There are numerous products on the market which fit the bill nicely here. A few that we have used with excellent results include: H2Ocean, St. Ives Intensive Healing Body Moisturizer, and Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Creme. A quality deep moisturizing hand lotion, such as these or other similar products, should be applied as needed throughout the day to keep the skin in the area of your new tattoo moist and supple. Usually about 4 or 5 times per day. Before going to bed, a thin layer of Bacatracin ointment should be applied to keep your tattoo moistened overnight.
If the skin feel s dry and tight, you may need to wait an extra day or two before changing from the Bacatracin ointment to lotion as the primary tattoo aftercare product. We have also found it to be beneficial, particularly with larger tattoos, to apply a high quality hand creme and then after it is absorbed to put a thin layer of Bacatracin ointment over it. Using your own judgment here will help guide you on what will work best for you. The goal is to keep the skin soft and moist; if it feels too dry with lotion, use Bacatracin for a bit longer. Please keep in mind that although your new tattoo will feel healed in a week or so with proper tattoo aftercare, you should continue to apply moisturizing lotion for a minimum of 45 days as this is the time required for your skin to completely heal. The better the tattoo aftercare in the first 45 days, the better your chances of keeping that new tattoo looking great for many years.
Long-term Tattoo Aftercare; Protecting Your Tattoo For Years To Come
Any tattoo will fade to some degree with age, this is an unavoidable consequence but one that can be kept to a minimum with long-term aftercare and a few simple precautions. The number one enemy of your tattoo's longevity is UV radiation from direct and prolonged exposure to the sun or tanning beds. Exposure to UV rays should be avoided completely (as much as is reasonably possible) during the first 45 days. After this time it is recommended to use a UV blocking sunscreen on your tattoo to avoid excessive and premature fading. A proper sunscreen to protect your tattoo should have a SPF rating of 30 or greater with SPF 40 being the most recommended. You should also avoid getting into a swimming pool or hot tub for the first 60 days, although swimming and hot tub soaking will be perfectly fine after this time.
With any tattoo, some fading of the colors is inevitable and some colors tend to fade faster and more dramatically than others. The colors red, yellow, and light blue will usually need a second or even third application after periods of about 2 weeks.
Tattoo Aftercare Products: Sorting the Facts From the Sales Hype
As the popularity of tattoos and other body modifications climb, so does the seemingly endless supply of aftercare products on the market. Tattoo aftercare products come in every form imaginable from salves and cremes to sprays and foams which claim to do all sorts of things, some of which (if they worked) would be nothing short of miraculous. So, given the wide range of choices, how does a person know what tattoo aftercare products to buy?
As with any product, a bit of common sense and general knowledge of what the product can reasonably be expected to do are your best resources for choosing a tattoo aftercare product that will actually be worth the money. Tattoo aftercare products are intended to help the body go through its natural healing process as smoothly and quickly as possible. Your skin is actually quite amazing and its resiliency allows it to heal very well from most minor to medium level damage such as cuts, abrasions, minor burns, and tattoos. As previously stated, it is a proven medical fact that the skin heals best when kept in a moist environment. Because of this, a good tattoo aftercare product should provide deep moisturizing to keep the skin soft and supple during the healing process. If they make miraculous claims beyond moisturizing properties, you can be almost certain it is little more than marketing hype to sell a product.
In general, lotion type tattoo aftercare products seem to be the most effective with the majority of sprays and foams being useless or even detrimental to the healing process. Also look out for products which do not list the ingredients on the package; if they are not willing to tell you what is in the stuff, chances are it is because it is either useless or perhaps even worse! Although we neither sell nor are affiliated with H2Ocean, it is the only tattoo specific aftercare product we would recommend and many hand cremes available at your local department store are actually just as good. Stay away from anything with fragrances added though as these ingredients can cause irritation and decrease the product's moisturizing ability.
Body Piercing After-care Instructions
Congratulations on getting your new piercing and we hope you enjoy it for years. The time required for your piercing to heal completely varies, in most cases jewelry must be left in for at least the first 3 months.Your piercing might look healed before this time but it’s important to be patient and wait the entire healing period before changing your jewelry out or ceasing your aftercare routine. If your piercing must come out sooner for medical reasons, often we can help you with this process so that you don’t lose your piercing.
If proper cleaning is done your risk of infection is greatly reduced. The most common problems are:
· Not having the piercing done in a sterile environment.· Dirty hands or saliva touching it before it is healed.· Using a cleaning agent that can damage your piercing.· Wearing inferior quality jewelry or metals.· Proper cleaning not being performed daily.· “Playing” with jewelry before piercing is healed.
Cleaning Solutions
Use a mild liquid antimicrobial/germicidal medicated soap such as Provon or Satin, and water. Inferior alternatives include products such as Almay Clearly Natural, Hypocare, NutriBiotic; or other mild, fragrance-free and color-free liquid antibacterial soap. These should possibly be diluted with distilled or bottled water, depending on product strength. Try and avoid soaps that use Triclosan as the active ingredient,such as Dial. These soaps are much harsher on new skin cells and can damage your piercing. Also, mild non-iodized (no iodine) sea salt soaks as described below.
Sea Salt Water Soaks
Sea salt soaks are strongly suggested at least once a day to accelerate healing and increase your comfort.
This may also help to reduce irritation in the area. Dissolve a pinch (1/4 teaspoon) of sea salt into one cup(8 oz.) of warm or hot water in a clean cup. Distilled water is optimal. A stronger solution is not better as you can burn your piercing with too much salt. Invert it over the area to form a vacuum and soak directly for a few minutes. For certain placements it is easier to use a clean cotton ball or gauze pad soaked in the salt water and applied to the pierced area. Follow with a clear water rinse or splash then pat dry with paper products.
Salt water soaks help to stimulate air and blood circulation which facilitates healing. You can do a brief salt water soak before your daily cleaning(s) as well as several additional times a day. It is particularly advisable to soak before you do anything active, as it will prevent crust from being pulled inside the piercing as you move around. Salt water is the only additional product (other than the cleanser and water)we suggest you use to care for your piercing.
One soak per day should be for at least 10 minutes. Additional soaks can be brief (1 minute or so) and still be effective for soothing the area and removing matter.
Cleaning Instructions
Body piercings need to be cleaned once daily, every day, for the entire initial healing time. Most people clean morning and/or night, in the shower. Do not clean more often as this can irritate your piercing, and possibly delay your healing. For once-a-day cleanings, do it at the end of your day. Optimal frequency will depend on your skin sensitivity, activity level, and environmental factors.
Before cleanings wash hands thoroughly with liquid antibacterial soap and hot water. If you wish, you may wear disposable latex or vinyl gloves and/or also use a hand sanitizing gel. Never, never touch healing piercings with dirty hands. This is vital for avoiding infections.
Prepare the area for the cleansing by rinsing or soaking with warm water and be sure to remove any stubborn crust using a cotton swab and warm water. Never pick with fingernails! This step is important for your comfort.
Apply a small handful of cleaning solution to the area with your clean hands. Cleanse the area and the jewelry. (You do not need to rotate your jewelry during cleaning).
Allow the solution to cleanse there for a minute. You may bathe normally, just don’t purposely work anything other than the cleanser onto the inside of the piercing.
Rinse the area thoroughly under running water to completely remove the cleanser from the piercing.
Gently pat dry with disposable paper products such as gauze or tissues, as cloth towels can harbor bacteria.
Please try to be patient. Each body is unique, and healing times can vary considerably. If your piercing is tender or secreting you should continue the care regimen, even if it is past the stated average healing time range.
Tips For Oral Piercings
Some of our customers carry a spare ball in their wallet or purse. This is particularly advisable if you wear non-metallic balls such as acrylic, which is more fragile. Try to focus on keeping your tongue level in your mouth to avoid biting on the jewelry as you eat. Your mouth is likely to feel uncoordinated at first. Try eating small bites of solid foods by placing food directly onto the molars with clean fingers or a fork. Food that is already in the back of the mouth doesn’t have to get moved there by your tongue. Be cautious about opening your mouth wide when you eat, as this can result in the backing of the jewelry catching on your teeth. Take small bites and go slowly at first. The outside of the piercing may become somewhat red or pink during healing and this is normal. Refer to the Aftercare Guidelines for Body and Facial Piercings sheet for instructions on how to care for the exterior surface of such a piercing.
Removing Surface Piercings & Micro-dermals
Because surface piercings have an entrance and exit point they can be removed the same way other piercing are. Greater care must be taken in removing these. The removal of a surface piercing should only be done by a professional piercer.Because dermal piercings are placed under the skin and have no exit point, their removal process is also different. Because this is a whole different procedure chances for a scar are increased. The amount of scaring depends on how well the piercing was taken care of before and after the removal process.
Surface piercings have a high rate of rejection. Your body can see the jewelry as a foreign object and slowly pushes it out of your skin as it would a splinter. These piercings can slowly migrate to the surface of the skin. Surface piercings will start to grow out, or reject, from the outer edges slowly in towards the center of the jewelry. Key signs of rejection are redness, swelling, tenderness, and gooey discharge.Following the correct aftercare will give you the best chance of your piercing being a part of your body for years.
What To Do
Wash your hands prior to contact on or near the area of your healing piercing!Leave the piercing alone except for when you are cleaning it. It is not necessary or advisable to rotate the ring while healing. Leave the starter jewelry in during the entire minimum initial healing time! (Assuming your initial jewelry is appropriate in terms of metal content, style, and size. Inappropriate jewelry should be changed out by a professional). Those with captive-style rings or barbells (straight, bent, or circular) can change the bead/ball portion of the jewelry at any time. Check daily with clean hands to make sure the balls are screwed on tight on threaded jewelry such as barbells. Both balls tighten to the right. If you like your piercing leave jewelry in at all times. Even old, well-healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years! This varies from person to person, and even if your ear lobe piercings stay open without jewelry your body piercing may not! Contact your piercer if your jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure). Monofilament nylon or another inert non-metallic substance may be able to be inserted to maintain the piercing until jewelry can be reinserted.Make sure your bedding is clean and changed frequently while you are healing, especially if pets get into your bed.Wear clean, comfortable, breathable fabric clothing in the area of a body piercing. A multi-vitamin mineral supplement containing zinc and vitamin C may help boost your body’s healing abilities. Take it with your morning meal according to package instructions. Get enough sleep, eat a nutritious diet, avoid undue stress, recreational drugs, and alcohol consumption. The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal.Showering is safer than taking a bath, as bath tubs tend to harbor bacteria. To bathe safely, clean your tub with a bleach product before each bath, and rinse the tub before you fill it. Also, be sure to do a running water rinse on your piercing when you are done in the tub.In the event that the piercing drains a thick pus discharge instead of the normal liquid secretion, you may wish to see a physician for evaluation and possible antibiotic treatment. If you do have an infection, the jewelry should be left in the piercing to allow for drainage of pus. If the jewelry is removed, the holes can close up, resulting in an abscess. Please leave your jewelry in.
What Is Normal?
Bleeding, bruising, discoloration and/or swelling is not uncommon. These are not indications of any complication. Reduce intake of aspirin, alcohol, and caffeine. For above-the-neck piercings try sleeping with your head elevated above your heart (prop up on some pillows) to limit overnight swelling. Studies show non-steroidal anti-inflammatory products such as Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) can help minimize swelling.
Some tenderness or discomfort in the area of a new piercing is not unusual. You may feel stinging,burning, or aching off and on for several days or longer. During healing there may be some itching. Secretion of a fluid which contains blood plasma, lymph and dead cells is perfectly normal. It is fairly liquid, whitish-yellow in color and forms a crust on the jewelry at the openings of the piercing. This is not pus, but indicates a healing piercing. Once healed your piercing may secrete a semi-solid white malodorous substance from the oil glands called sebum. This is not pus, but indicates a healed piercing.
Piercings may have a tendency to have a series of “ups and downs” during healing by seeming healed and then regressing. Try to be patient, and do keep cleaning during the entire initial healing time, even if the piercing seems healed sooner. Tightness is normal. Do not expect jewelry to swing freely in most body piercings, even after they are thoroughly healed.
Copyright © 2013, Lounge Haircuts & Tattoos, LLC. All rights reserved.
With the seemingly endless supply of products and contradictory recommendations for tattoo aftercare available today, choosing the best solution for your tattoo aftercare can seem a daunting and even expensive task. Although considering the cost of tattoo nowadays even the most expensive of the tattoo aftercare products on the market are cheap insurance, we will provide some guidelines for making educated decisions on which types of aftercare products to use and which are little more than marketing hype and a waste of your money. Unlike many of the articles claiming to give tattoo aftercare advise, we are not trying to sell you a product and, as such, are not working from an agenda other than disseminating proper tattoo aftercare advise.
The Tattoo Healing Process; What to Expect
The healing process for your new tattoo will take about 45 days, although it will appear to be healed much sooner than this. As your tattoo heals, your body will slough off and replace the damaged skin cells with new ones and this complete process takes 45 days. You can expect some mild discomfort, similar to a sunburn, which will last anywhere from about 3 days to a week or 2 depending on factors such as your body and the location of your new tattoo. You can also expect, to varying degrees, a bit of: tenderness, bleeding, swelling, redness, color seepage, itching, peeling, and mild scabbing. With a proper regimen of tattoo aftercare, these symptoms can be greatly minimized or even eliminated in some circumstances. For more details about our recommended tattoo aftercare procedures and what to expect during the healing process, read on!
Initial Tattoo Aftercare; The First Few Weeks
The first thing you need to understand about your new tattoo is that it is actually considered to be a minor surgical procedure. Like any surgical procedure, the speed and degree of recovery is just as directly related to the quality of the aftercare as it is to the quality of the surgical procedure itself. The size and location of your new tattoo will have a direct bearing on the healing time, as will the depth of the needle your artist used during the tattoo. While these are not really in your control, the aftercare is up to you and can make a huge difference in how well, and how fast, your new tattoo heals.
When you get home (about 3 to 4 hours after getting your new tattoo) you should remove any bandage or other covering the artist placed over the fresh tattoo. At this time the area should be washed, very gently, with mild soap and warm water. Do not scrub hard or with anything other than the surface of your hand. After gently washing your fresh tattoo, you should use a soft towel to pat the area dry - again, no need to rub, just a gentle pat dry will do.
Once you have gently washed any dried blood and surface ink from your new tattoo the next thing you will want to do is to apply a thin layer of triple antibiotic ointment containing Bacitracin. If possible, it is best to keep the tattoo uncovered by clothing as much as you can to minimize the Bacitracin ointment from being wiped off. The Bacitracin antibiotic ointment serves several purposes. First, it is intended to reduce any bacteria which may be on your new tattoo and to prevent infection while the wound is fresh. Second, and arguably even more important, the ointment is meant to act as a moisturizing agent to keep the damaged skin soft, moist, and supple. It is a proven medical fact that wounds to the skin heal much faster in a moist environment and the Bacitracin ointment not only helps to moisturize the skin, but acts as a barrier to keep the skins natural moisture in and will greatly reduce healing time.
Additional Bacitracin ointment should be applied 3 to 4 times per day and immediately before going to bed. Further bandaging is neither necessary nor recommended.
For the first 4 days your tattoo aftercare regimen should remain basically the same. You will want to apply a thin layer of Bacitracin antibiotic ointment to the area upon waking up, before going to bed, and about 3 or 4 times in between to help protect and moisturize the skin area of your new tattoo. An ideal application of Bacitracin ointment will be just enough to make the skin moist and shiny and should extend about half an inch (13mm) beyond the outer perimeter of your tattoo. You will also want to keep the skin clean by washing once or twice a day - no more. Again, as much as possible, it is best to keep the area exposed and uncovered by either bandages or clothing if at all possible.
An inevitable part of the healing process with your new tattoo involves some itching, peeling, and possibly some light scabbing. It is extremely important to resist the urge to scratch your tattoo or pick at any peeling skin or scabs which develop. If the itch gets to be too much to bear, a good alternative to scratching which works very well is simply to lightly slap the area. The slapping will almost always relieve the itching sensation and is much less risky than scratching which can damage the tender healing skin. As you new tattoo begins to slough off dead skin (peal) the best thing to do is to remove this loose dead skin by gently washing the area with soap and water in the shower. Again, scratching and picking is a bad idea and should be avoided. If scabs develop, it is best to simply let them heal and fall off naturally. Picking at scabs, even very small ones, can remove the ink from the skin and lead to scarring.
Cleanliness is an important part of your tattoo aftercare, but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about washing it. During the first 4 to 5 days you should wash your tattoo gently with warm water and whatever soap you normally use. After washing, pat the area dry with a clean dry cloth. It is important during these first few days to avoid soaking your tattoo in water and baths should be avoided. A shower is fine, but immersion in water should be avoided completely for the first 4 to 5 days. In addition to not immersing your new tattoo in the bath, swimming and hot tubs should also be avoided. In fact, although bathing will be OK after the first 4 or 5 days, swimming and hot tubs should be avoided for at least the first 45 days.
Beginning on day 5 or 6 bathing in warm water will be fine. This is also the time that the daily tattoo aftercare procedure changes a little bit. Instead of using the Bacatracin ointment as the primary aftercare product, you should now move to a high quality unscented deep moisturizing hand lotion. There are numerous products on the market which fit the bill nicely here. A few that we have used with excellent results include: H2Ocean, St. Ives Intensive Healing Body Moisturizer, and Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Creme. A quality deep moisturizing hand lotion, such as these or other similar products, should be applied as needed throughout the day to keep the skin in the area of your new tattoo moist and supple. Usually about 4 or 5 times per day. Before going to bed, a thin layer of Bacatracin ointment should be applied to keep your tattoo moistened overnight.
If the skin feel s dry and tight, you may need to wait an extra day or two before changing from the Bacatracin ointment to lotion as the primary tattoo aftercare product. We have also found it to be beneficial, particularly with larger tattoos, to apply a high quality hand creme and then after it is absorbed to put a thin layer of Bacatracin ointment over it. Using your own judgment here will help guide you on what will work best for you. The goal is to keep the skin soft and moist; if it feels too dry with lotion, use Bacatracin for a bit longer. Please keep in mind that although your new tattoo will feel healed in a week or so with proper tattoo aftercare, you should continue to apply moisturizing lotion for a minimum of 45 days as this is the time required for your skin to completely heal. The better the tattoo aftercare in the first 45 days, the better your chances of keeping that new tattoo looking great for many years.
Long-term Tattoo Aftercare; Protecting Your Tattoo For Years To Come
Any tattoo will fade to some degree with age, this is an unavoidable consequence but one that can be kept to a minimum with long-term aftercare and a few simple precautions. The number one enemy of your tattoo's longevity is UV radiation from direct and prolonged exposure to the sun or tanning beds. Exposure to UV rays should be avoided completely (as much as is reasonably possible) during the first 45 days. After this time it is recommended to use a UV blocking sunscreen on your tattoo to avoid excessive and premature fading. A proper sunscreen to protect your tattoo should have a SPF rating of 30 or greater with SPF 40 being the most recommended. You should also avoid getting into a swimming pool or hot tub for the first 60 days, although swimming and hot tub soaking will be perfectly fine after this time.
With any tattoo, some fading of the colors is inevitable and some colors tend to fade faster and more dramatically than others. The colors red, yellow, and light blue will usually need a second or even third application after periods of about 2 weeks.
Tattoo Aftercare Products: Sorting the Facts From the Sales Hype
As the popularity of tattoos and other body modifications climb, so does the seemingly endless supply of aftercare products on the market. Tattoo aftercare products come in every form imaginable from salves and cremes to sprays and foams which claim to do all sorts of things, some of which (if they worked) would be nothing short of miraculous. So, given the wide range of choices, how does a person know what tattoo aftercare products to buy?
As with any product, a bit of common sense and general knowledge of what the product can reasonably be expected to do are your best resources for choosing a tattoo aftercare product that will actually be worth the money. Tattoo aftercare products are intended to help the body go through its natural healing process as smoothly and quickly as possible. Your skin is actually quite amazing and its resiliency allows it to heal very well from most minor to medium level damage such as cuts, abrasions, minor burns, and tattoos. As previously stated, it is a proven medical fact that the skin heals best when kept in a moist environment. Because of this, a good tattoo aftercare product should provide deep moisturizing to keep the skin soft and supple during the healing process. If they make miraculous claims beyond moisturizing properties, you can be almost certain it is little more than marketing hype to sell a product.
In general, lotion type tattoo aftercare products seem to be the most effective with the majority of sprays and foams being useless or even detrimental to the healing process. Also look out for products which do not list the ingredients on the package; if they are not willing to tell you what is in the stuff, chances are it is because it is either useless or perhaps even worse! Although we neither sell nor are affiliated with H2Ocean, it is the only tattoo specific aftercare product we would recommend and many hand cremes available at your local department store are actually just as good. Stay away from anything with fragrances added though as these ingredients can cause irritation and decrease the product's moisturizing ability.
Body Piercing After-care Instructions
Congratulations on getting your new piercing and we hope you enjoy it for years. The time required for your piercing to heal completely varies, in most cases jewelry must be left in for at least the first 3 months.Your piercing might look healed before this time but it’s important to be patient and wait the entire healing period before changing your jewelry out or ceasing your aftercare routine. If your piercing must come out sooner for medical reasons, often we can help you with this process so that you don’t lose your piercing.
If proper cleaning is done your risk of infection is greatly reduced. The most common problems are:
· Not having the piercing done in a sterile environment.· Dirty hands or saliva touching it before it is healed.· Using a cleaning agent that can damage your piercing.· Wearing inferior quality jewelry or metals.· Proper cleaning not being performed daily.· “Playing” with jewelry before piercing is healed.
Cleaning Solutions
Use a mild liquid antimicrobial/germicidal medicated soap such as Provon or Satin, and water. Inferior alternatives include products such as Almay Clearly Natural, Hypocare, NutriBiotic; or other mild, fragrance-free and color-free liquid antibacterial soap. These should possibly be diluted with distilled or bottled water, depending on product strength. Try and avoid soaps that use Triclosan as the active ingredient,such as Dial. These soaps are much harsher on new skin cells and can damage your piercing. Also, mild non-iodized (no iodine) sea salt soaks as described below.
Sea Salt Water Soaks
Sea salt soaks are strongly suggested at least once a day to accelerate healing and increase your comfort.
This may also help to reduce irritation in the area. Dissolve a pinch (1/4 teaspoon) of sea salt into one cup(8 oz.) of warm or hot water in a clean cup. Distilled water is optimal. A stronger solution is not better as you can burn your piercing with too much salt. Invert it over the area to form a vacuum and soak directly for a few minutes. For certain placements it is easier to use a clean cotton ball or gauze pad soaked in the salt water and applied to the pierced area. Follow with a clear water rinse or splash then pat dry with paper products.
Salt water soaks help to stimulate air and blood circulation which facilitates healing. You can do a brief salt water soak before your daily cleaning(s) as well as several additional times a day. It is particularly advisable to soak before you do anything active, as it will prevent crust from being pulled inside the piercing as you move around. Salt water is the only additional product (other than the cleanser and water)we suggest you use to care for your piercing.
One soak per day should be for at least 10 minutes. Additional soaks can be brief (1 minute or so) and still be effective for soothing the area and removing matter.
Cleaning Instructions
Body piercings need to be cleaned once daily, every day, for the entire initial healing time. Most people clean morning and/or night, in the shower. Do not clean more often as this can irritate your piercing, and possibly delay your healing. For once-a-day cleanings, do it at the end of your day. Optimal frequency will depend on your skin sensitivity, activity level, and environmental factors.
Before cleanings wash hands thoroughly with liquid antibacterial soap and hot water. If you wish, you may wear disposable latex or vinyl gloves and/or also use a hand sanitizing gel. Never, never touch healing piercings with dirty hands. This is vital for avoiding infections.
Prepare the area for the cleansing by rinsing or soaking with warm water and be sure to remove any stubborn crust using a cotton swab and warm water. Never pick with fingernails! This step is important for your comfort.
Apply a small handful of cleaning solution to the area with your clean hands. Cleanse the area and the jewelry. (You do not need to rotate your jewelry during cleaning).
Allow the solution to cleanse there for a minute. You may bathe normally, just don’t purposely work anything other than the cleanser onto the inside of the piercing.
Rinse the area thoroughly under running water to completely remove the cleanser from the piercing.
Gently pat dry with disposable paper products such as gauze or tissues, as cloth towels can harbor bacteria.
Please try to be patient. Each body is unique, and healing times can vary considerably. If your piercing is tender or secreting you should continue the care regimen, even if it is past the stated average healing time range.
Tips For Oral Piercings
Some of our customers carry a spare ball in their wallet or purse. This is particularly advisable if you wear non-metallic balls such as acrylic, which is more fragile. Try to focus on keeping your tongue level in your mouth to avoid biting on the jewelry as you eat. Your mouth is likely to feel uncoordinated at first. Try eating small bites of solid foods by placing food directly onto the molars with clean fingers or a fork. Food that is already in the back of the mouth doesn’t have to get moved there by your tongue. Be cautious about opening your mouth wide when you eat, as this can result in the backing of the jewelry catching on your teeth. Take small bites and go slowly at first. The outside of the piercing may become somewhat red or pink during healing and this is normal. Refer to the Aftercare Guidelines for Body and Facial Piercings sheet for instructions on how to care for the exterior surface of such a piercing.
Removing Surface Piercings & Micro-dermals
Because surface piercings have an entrance and exit point they can be removed the same way other piercing are. Greater care must be taken in removing these. The removal of a surface piercing should only be done by a professional piercer.Because dermal piercings are placed under the skin and have no exit point, their removal process is also different. Because this is a whole different procedure chances for a scar are increased. The amount of scaring depends on how well the piercing was taken care of before and after the removal process.
Surface piercings have a high rate of rejection. Your body can see the jewelry as a foreign object and slowly pushes it out of your skin as it would a splinter. These piercings can slowly migrate to the surface of the skin. Surface piercings will start to grow out, or reject, from the outer edges slowly in towards the center of the jewelry. Key signs of rejection are redness, swelling, tenderness, and gooey discharge.Following the correct aftercare will give you the best chance of your piercing being a part of your body for years.
What To Do
Wash your hands prior to contact on or near the area of your healing piercing!Leave the piercing alone except for when you are cleaning it. It is not necessary or advisable to rotate the ring while healing. Leave the starter jewelry in during the entire minimum initial healing time! (Assuming your initial jewelry is appropriate in terms of metal content, style, and size. Inappropriate jewelry should be changed out by a professional). Those with captive-style rings or barbells (straight, bent, or circular) can change the bead/ball portion of the jewelry at any time. Check daily with clean hands to make sure the balls are screwed on tight on threaded jewelry such as barbells. Both balls tighten to the right. If you like your piercing leave jewelry in at all times. Even old, well-healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years! This varies from person to person, and even if your ear lobe piercings stay open without jewelry your body piercing may not! Contact your piercer if your jewelry must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure). Monofilament nylon or another inert non-metallic substance may be able to be inserted to maintain the piercing until jewelry can be reinserted.Make sure your bedding is clean and changed frequently while you are healing, especially if pets get into your bed.Wear clean, comfortable, breathable fabric clothing in the area of a body piercing. A multi-vitamin mineral supplement containing zinc and vitamin C may help boost your body’s healing abilities. Take it with your morning meal according to package instructions. Get enough sleep, eat a nutritious diet, avoid undue stress, recreational drugs, and alcohol consumption. The healthier your lifestyle, the easier it will be for your piercing to heal.Showering is safer than taking a bath, as bath tubs tend to harbor bacteria. To bathe safely, clean your tub with a bleach product before each bath, and rinse the tub before you fill it. Also, be sure to do a running water rinse on your piercing when you are done in the tub.In the event that the piercing drains a thick pus discharge instead of the normal liquid secretion, you may wish to see a physician for evaluation and possible antibiotic treatment. If you do have an infection, the jewelry should be left in the piercing to allow for drainage of pus. If the jewelry is removed, the holes can close up, resulting in an abscess. Please leave your jewelry in.
What Is Normal?
Bleeding, bruising, discoloration and/or swelling is not uncommon. These are not indications of any complication. Reduce intake of aspirin, alcohol, and caffeine. For above-the-neck piercings try sleeping with your head elevated above your heart (prop up on some pillows) to limit overnight swelling. Studies show non-steroidal anti-inflammatory products such as Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.) can help minimize swelling.
Some tenderness or discomfort in the area of a new piercing is not unusual. You may feel stinging,burning, or aching off and on for several days or longer. During healing there may be some itching. Secretion of a fluid which contains blood plasma, lymph and dead cells is perfectly normal. It is fairly liquid, whitish-yellow in color and forms a crust on the jewelry at the openings of the piercing. This is not pus, but indicates a healing piercing. Once healed your piercing may secrete a semi-solid white malodorous substance from the oil glands called sebum. This is not pus, but indicates a healed piercing.
Piercings may have a tendency to have a series of “ups and downs” during healing by seeming healed and then regressing. Try to be patient, and do keep cleaning during the entire initial healing time, even if the piercing seems healed sooner. Tightness is normal. Do not expect jewelry to swing freely in most body piercings, even after they are thoroughly healed.
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